Bob Barr Gains Libertarian Party Nod

It took six ballots before Bob Barr, a former four-term Republican Congressman from Georgia, won the nomination of the Libertarian Party at its Denver Convention on the Memorial Day weekend.

An energetic throng gave him a 324-276 victory over Mary Ruwart. He immediately asked the convention to tap Wayne Allyn Root as his running mate, which it did. Root dropped out after the fifth ballot and threw his support to Barr.

Bob Barr left the GOP in 2006 and opted for the Libertarians claiming: “The American voters deserve better than the lesser of two evils.” He regularly states that his main reasons for bolting include dismay at consistent Republican backing for bloated spending and attacks on civil liberties.

Immediately and unsurprisingly named a “spoiler” by Fox News commentator Sean Hannity, Barr’s candidacy is being viewed by many as potentially significant in a race where the GOP will present John McCain. David Boaz of the libertarian-minded Cato Institute says he received numerous messages from friends who say, “I want Barr to keep McCain out of the White House.” Jesse Benton, a spokesman for Ron Paul, said that his boss does not plan to recommend supporters to champion Barr. “Bob and Ron are former colleagues and they’re friends. But that’s where the relationship ends.” Nevertheless, many Paul backers who know their champion’s name will not appear on the November ballot will likely choose either Barr or Constitution Party nominee Chuck Baldwin.